The death toll in the wake of the Jan. 1 earthquake off Japan’s northwest coast rose above 60 as the government doubled the number of personnel dispatched to the affected areas to bolster rescue operations.
The number of reported fatalities reached 64, although the full extent of the damage remains unclear, according to a report from Kyodo. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the government will send 2,000 Self-Defense Force members to help with the rescue efforts in addition to some 2,000 firefighters and 700 police already deployed.
“Now is a critical moment,” Kishida told a press conference Wednesday. “We are doing everything to save lives.”
An accident a day earlier at Tokyo’s Haneda airport isn’t having a logistical impact on rescue operations, Kishida said. A commercial airliner caught fire on Tuesday after colliding on the runway with a coast guard aircraft packed with emergency supplies set to be delivered to quake victims. Five of six coast guard crew members on the aid flight were killed.
Among quake victims, at least 26 are seriously injured, while 130 are in need of rescue, including some who are trapped under collapsed buildings, Kishida said. Government officials are working to confirm information about damage as of Wednesday morning, he said, almost two days after the 7.6 magnitude tremor struck amid New Year’s Day celebrations.
Numerous families in the region spent the holiday in evacuation centers and hundreds of people lined up for fresh water after the quake knocked out services. A heavy rainfall warning was issued for Wajima on Wednesday, adding to the risk of further landslides.
About 35,000 homes in Ishikawa remained without power as of 6:40 am, according to the local utility, Hokuriku Electric Power.
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